This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him! That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times.

Romans 8:15-21 (MSG)

 

Ash Wednesday marks the start of the Christian season of Lent.

It is named after the ancient practice of applying ashes to a person's forehead to form the sign of the cross. The act reminds us of both our mortality and our new life in Christ. As we live in the tension between the known and the unknown, we must learn to wait, trust, and grow in patience as we allow God to unfold His purpose in each of us according to His perfect will.

Over the following forty days we will have a series of reflective thoughts centred on cultivating a life of continual renewal and transformation. This involves stepping out of our comfort zones and going deeper with God to lead and live His life in and through us.

Being uncomfortable is something we should embrace rather than avoid if we are to move forward towards what God has for us. Often, we don't have real problems, but rather first-world inconveniences and self-entitlements that can cause us to lose faith quickly. God can solve our problems, but He will not fix our so-called “crisis” of inconveniences and entitlements. This is because He has called us to be biblical Christians, not "first world" Christians. He wants us to become more like Christ, not more comfortable.

Obeying God will become difficult if you do not share His vision for your life. Read again what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:15-21. When we truly understand our union in Christ's redemptive suffering, our hope becomes a joyful anticipation and expectation of good things to come.